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Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Don't spread lies that I'm a BN puppet: Lajim

BONGAWAN - Harapan Rakyat (HR) Party President Datuk Lajim Ukin (pic) has challenged critics to show proof that the party led by him is a "puppet" for the Barisan Nasional (BN) by splitting votes and help it win.

He said the accusations were deliberately hurled by a local opposition party led by a former Umno leader who seeks to undermine the influence of HR in Sabah.
"Prove it if we are friendly to BN...we all know that those making these allegations belong to a local opposition party which is trying to dominate the State's politics .

"Before even governing they have already shown their stripes such as 'snatching' members and leaders (from other opposition parties). .. such parties should not be given the confidence to fight for our rights," he said after the launch of the HR Kimanis/Papar Division in conjunction with the HR President meet-the-people at Kg Seri Malawaring, Sunday.

Lajim, who is also Assemblyman for Klias criticised the supreme leader of the opposition party which is based in the East Coast, saying the latter was fighting for his self-interest.

"They know that when I left Umno/BN before this, I was not fired…membership suspended or expelled from Umno or even suspended as a Deputy Minister.
"I resigned because of disagreement with several government policies...rather than after being suspended (party membership), then want to show I am now fighting to defend the rights of the people of Sabah," he said.

In this connection, he said a strong coalition among all the opposition parties in the state can be created to ensure better chances in the general election (GE14).

At the event, a total of 13 HR branches also established in the area involving 420 people.

Meanwhile, Parti Harapan believes the huge turnout during its recent programme in Sipitang is a sign that the people have been longing for a change, and will make it happen.

Its Vice President Patrick Sodom said more than 600 people attended a party event recently, which he claimed to be a record of sort by any opposition party in the Umno stronghold.

"Never before any opposition party has organised an event like this. The political scenario in Sipitang has changed and people want change," he said.

He observed that voters in the district are silently behind the opposition party and will make their decision known on who they think deserves to govern the State come polling day.

"The people here know the issues very well. The rising prices of everyday goods, GST and many more.

These affect them daily. They may not appear to be supporting the opposition openly but they are hard hit by these issues and naturally want a change for the better," he said.

Patrick assured that his party offers the change that the people are longing for, particularly on matters that concern their livelihood.

"We spoke about the plight of the Sabah Forest Industry workers. If the people give us the mandate, we will seek the best method to address the issue. The people don't deserve to be the victim of this situation," he said.

Other than this, he said the party will also weigh the benefits between the communal grant scheme versus issuing land individual land titles, and put an end to the people's long wait for better road from Kg Mendulong to Kg Long Pasia, covering a distance of 80km.

"In every election, they had been promised that this road would be upgraded.